Apocalypto, the number one grossing film in the U.S. in 2007, by Mel Gibson, relates how a young man’s paradise is suddenly
and dramatically removed. The dialogue is subtitled in a Mayan dialect – Yucatec - no-one notices – the action scenes are so gripping that it is difficult to breathe. The Mayans search far and wide in the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula for human sacrifices. Jaguar Paw is clubbed, captured and tethered to his fellow captives for the long forced march to the Mayan citadel. Foremost in his mind, Jaguar Paw’s family, hidden in a deep rock cleft, await rescue. The decline in the Mayan culture forms the backdrop to Jaguar Paw’s fate. An authentic looking Mayan temple was reconstructed for filming. The film unfolds with a tapir hunt and an underlying
prophecy of jaguar killing ensuring misfortune, a prophesied disease – a duly afflicted child is encountered – and a persistent drought is destroying the Mayans. Desperate to appease the Gods, human sacrifices of c.20,000 victims in 4 days were not uncommon. Jaguar Paw is brought to the sacrificial altar, a timely full eclipse of te sun releases Jaguar Paw form seemingly inevitable death. The Mayan hunters inexplicably release Jaguar Paw and others only to hunt them relentlessly in the jungle. Jaguar Paw, the sole surviving captive, outruns his
pursuers when a jaguar kills one of the Mayan pursuers on colliding with him. The Mayans are dismayed at killing the jaguar and are foredoomed! A wasps nest and toad smeared darts dispatch another Mayan, a waterfall and a tapir trap dispatch more cruel Mayans. A sudden unexpected encounter with Spanish ships on the seashore deters his last 2 pursuers. This is the final prophecy fulfilled. Jaguar Paw rescued his family. Jaguar Paw rescued his family. His woman asks to greet them. Jaguar Paw replies ‘no, we go to the forest for a new beginning’. The Mayans were mysterious, very little is known about them. Gibson used unknown authentic Indians. Gibson led the fording of the river, camera in front, never afraid of adventure or injury. The film is a metaphor for the decline of civilization. No empire lasts forever.